iPage Shared SSL Certificates

What is SSL?

SSL is an acronym for Secure Sockets Layer. This refers to a type of protocol used to secure data transmissions which contain sensitive information through unsecured network – like the internet. SSL serves an assurance that the website you are visiting is secured from any malicious software or scripts that can filter and let hackers take a peek at what the information submitted. This finds importance in credit card payments. You know that once a stranger gets hold of your credit card information, he can do whatever he wants and exploit your credit by doing online shopping sprees. This is the disaster that most credit card holders fear of. That is why when engaging in online transactions; buyers will look for a website that guarantees safe credit card processing. This guarantee is found in SSL certificates issued by trusted security companies. A website with SSL certificate is guaranteed safe from hackers and malwares. To check whether a website has SSL security, all you need to do is check your browser’s address bar. A site with SSL-support has a green padlock followed by the https:// prefix and then the domain name. This means that SSL is installed on the website and it is safe to process credit transactions on that page. You can try this by going to the login page of facebook or Yahoo!

iPage SSL Security

iPage offers SSL security to hosting account owners so you need not look any further. It allows you to install SSL certificates on your website in just a few clicks. There are two variations on their SSL certificates. One is called an SSL premium certificate, while the more common one is a shared SSL certificate.

SSL Premium Certificate

Its main difference from a shared SSL is that you need to purchase this SSL certificate before you can use it. iPage works in partnership with GeoTrust, a trusted SSL certificate provider. Its issued SSL certificate has up to 256-bit encryption, provides secure access over “https”, is compatible with mobile devices, has $100,000 protection warranty and is 99% compatible with all web browsers.

You can include an SSL certificate on your website in two ways. First, you may include it as an add-on service when you sign up with iPage. You can do this by clicking the “Add to Cart” button under the SSL Certificate icon in the Billing Information page. Second, you can purchase an SSL certificate after registration by visiting this page http://www.ipage.com/product/ssl_certificate.bml and clicking on the “Buy Now” button. You may choose between two SSL security plans: a 1-year SSL certificate and a 2-year SSL certificate. The 1-year SSL certificate costs $59.95 per year, while the 2-year SSL certificate only costs $89.95 thereby allowing you to save almost $30 for SSL expenses. Also, you need to take note that these SSL certificates automatically renew. The 1-year SSL certificate will renew automatically every year and will charge $99.95, while the 2-year SSL certificate will renew automatically every two years (not ever year) at $179.90.

Shared SSL Certificate

You can automatically have your own shared SSL certificate once you register with iPage. This SSL Certificate is called a shared SSL because all other web hosting account owners will use the same SSL certificate. There is not much difference in the degree of protection it offers compared to a premium SSL certificate. The difference lies in how the SSL certificate will look. Since it is a shared SSL certificate, it will use iPage’s domain name and appear in the following format: https://yourusername.ipage.com. A premium SSL certificate will use your domain name and appear like this: SSL:https://www.yourdomain.com.